For the Love of Reading

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This is how I spent our recent weekend camping:

Bliss.

Everywhere I go, I bring a book… or two. Or seven. 

Current read, Bible study/devotional, the book I’m reading aloud to the kids, and the book I’m reading aloud to just Little Man. I also encourage the kiddos to tote along their current reads, as well, just in case. 

You never know when a quiet moment will present itself, and frankly I’d rather pick up a book to pass the time than my iPhone. This must be why we’re able to read so much despite juggling a full calendar.

Some recent titles (click pics for links):

Dani Shapiro’s new memoir was soooo good and feels soooo timely in the age of mail-in saliva DNA testing. She shares the true story of her mysterious 23 & Me findings and the hunt that ensued. I have a real-life cousin with a similar story. 

Who me? Introverted? No. Still, my dear friend lent me this new book and while I remain an extrovert I was able to glean great insight from the homeschooling, adoptive mom-author with whom I share so much in common. Additionally, I suppose it aids me in better understanding the many beloved introverts in my life.

This one was just fun frivolous fiction, I finished it in two days. It’s like a grown up, rom-com version of The Parent Trap.

My bookish aunt passed this post-apocalyptic best-seller along and I could hardly put it down. It really ought to be a Netflix mini-series, and I was stoked to read that Ridley Scott bought the rights to adapt it to the big screen.

Don’t judge me for this one. Howard Stern’s an intelligent, introspective human. Down with pnemonia last month, too sick even to read, I watched my second-favorite show on repeat, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee (second to Jeopardy, duh). On one episode Howard was Jerry Seinfeld’s special guest and I was so impressed with the interview I hurriedly queued for his new book at the library. Howard’s not the shock-jock he used to be, and I loved his humble compilation of favorite interviews.

What I’m reading to the kidlets:

The girls read Frindle years ago independently, but I’d somehow missed the wonderful, modern classic. I nearly cried at the end and found it to be so inspiring as a homeschool mom.

Another one Little Man borrowed from his sisters, Pie is a sweet treat of a tale that we enjoyed aloud together.

I read Babe: The Gallant Pig to the girls our first year as homeschoolers, but Little Man dusted off our old copy and we packed it along camping, enjoying several chapters together in our cozy tent.

Though many of my recent reads have been new books, I’m a forever fan of old books– the older the better. Crinkled spines, musty pages, I love the heft of a book with a history that predates me.

I scooped up this cheerful anthology of children’s classics from a recent estate sale, and I must say they look quite handsome on my shelves. 

And then my dear, dear bestie blessed me with this treasure for my birthday, which actually made me cry… 

One of my aforementioned beloved introverts, she’s a friend who remembers every detail of every single thing that every person ever says. She has a mind like a vault that I trust implicitly, obviously aware of what Anne of Green Gables means to me though admittedly she’s not a bookworm herself. 

Her thoughtful gift became an instant heirloom, a touching token I’ll always recall came to me the same year we pilgrimed to Prince Edward Island. “Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think.” – Anne Shirley


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